Customer Reviews

Divine Madness: Mohammed Abdulle Hassan (1856-1920)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
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I have had the opportunity to read Abdi Sheik-Abdi's well researched and disinterested biography of Sayid Mohammad Abdulle Hassan. The book demistifies the dreaded Devishes and their leader.The book, as B. W Andrezejweski. the late doyen of the Somali studies remarked is "a considerable contribution to Somali Studies."

This has been one the best book I have read for a long time. This book is well researched and well written. What I like about the writing of the book was that it was clear and very impartial, a true academical work. I believe his book should be a authority to the study of the Sayyid. The writer should be congratulated for the extensive reseach that he undertook before writing this book. It shows from the writing of the book, congratulation sir.

Dr. Abdi Sheik-Abdi's historical chronicle about the beloved Somali hero and his intellectual insights about the subject is the most reliable and unbiased event of the time. This book over-scored the Britain's false propaganda against the Mullah.
Dr. Abdi's work is the first class, very responsible and undeniably impressive. This historical milestone is very well researched, relaible and much better than anything else that has been written on the subject..... a substantial contribution to Somali history.

The history of the dervishes will not be complete unless the battles against the Warsangeli Sultanate are studied and included. Most Somali historians ignore this fact, but the resistance from the Warsangeli army brought about the downfall of the Dervishes.

Warsangeli sultanate played major role in the downfall of the Dervishes. Without the inclusion of their history and contribution to the Somalia's emancipation from imperialistic control, Sayid's history would never be fair and fact. Revision of this book is highly recommended.

Many books have been written about Mohammed Abdulle Hassan, the man who led the Somali resistance in the early twentieth century, yet he and the movement he led (the Dervish) continue to be a subject of study a long time after the fall of the movement. Known by his followers as Sayid (master), by the colonial literature as Mad Mullah, Mohammed Abdulle Hassan remains a controversial figure. Dr Abdi Sheikh-Abdi now adds his work on the subject which took him more than ten years to complete.

This book examines - in a social and historical perspective - the rise of Mohammed Abdulle Hassan and his movement. It consists of an introduction and six chapters. As Euro-colonialists were usually of another faith, the Somalis felt that the colonialists were trying to Christianise their children. The resistance led by Mohammed Abdulle Hassan was in response to this belief.